


desire, sharp and quick

by TeaTreeKly



Category: Perfect Match (Visual Novel)
Genre: Angst, Attraction, Character Study, Enemies, Extra Scene at the End, F/F, Flirting, Guilty thoughts, How Do I Tag, POV Second Person, Regret, it's also a 'why does MC flirt with Cecile so much', no actual romance, some language, this is more of a 'what could've been' between them, unbetaed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:28:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22887823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeaTreeKly/pseuds/TeaTreeKly
Summary: “Any attraction I once felt is dead and buried now.”You can’t lie—that bruises your ego a little. But it’s more amusing than it is offending and you can’t help but taunt her some more. “Maybe I’ll come visit you in prison. Blow you kisses from across the glass. Let you know what you’re missing.”
Relationships: Cecile Contreras/Main Character (Perfect Match)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	desire, sharp and quick

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. idk what this is either, don't ask me  
> 2\. i'm surprised that even though there was a large amount of the fandom thirsting over Cecile, there are no fics with her paired with MC?  
> 3\. unbetaed, only edited by me, so if i switch tenses i'm really sorry  
> 4\. the italicized dialogue is bc those are dialogues straight from the game.  
> 5\. speaking of italics, why can't i put any in the summary >:(  
> Anyways, happy reading y'all! Rated T for some language later on. Leave your thoughts down below if you so wish.

_“I know I’ll always think of you with something like hurt and nostalgia—”_

_-Sylvia Plath, from a letter to Ann Davidow-Goodman written c. March 1950_

~~o.O~~

At first...At first, you do it because you find her intriguing. 

“ _So you think you’ve got people figured out...with some algorithm?”_

_“Your personality, your wants, your needs… All of that makes you unique, like a puzzle piece. But somewhere out there is a piece that fits flawlessly with you. An exact complement. A perfect match. Our technology helps sort through the pieces to find yours. Simply put, the human heart is_ precisely _our area of expertise.”_

_“Really? Maybe_ you’re _my perfect match_.”

The flirting comes easy and there’s a certain thrill behind it.

Cecile gives you a slow and easy grin, tells you she’s flattered, says that their system could find a much better match than she could ever be. And she’d been right, you’ll learn later on. But in this moment you couldn’t stop yourself from giving her your own lazy smile back, noting the way her light eyes sparkle. 

You can’t help yourself. You think she’s beautiful.

How quickly it would all change. 

~~o.O~~

The next time you see her, you’re in the midst of fleeing the country. 

The atmosphere is different. The air crackles with a nervous energy as Sloane tentatively picks up the phone. Cecile is different now, of course. Less amiable, more curt. She’s a businesswoman, you remember, which means used to getting her way. Ambitious, maybe even ruthless. There’s an endless list of words you can use to describe her, but right now the only one you can think of is: _terrifying_. 

" _The game is over. Now, let’s be civilized about this. Exit the plane, slowly, with your hands in the air.”_

You remember snarling at her, _“Stay away from us,_ ” but that barely even fazes her. She calls you her favorite client. Irrationally, you feel pleased, and then immediately are guilty for feeling that way. You’d only met her once before, but you didn’t want to believe that she wasn’t who you thought she was. It’s a strange sentiment, but you can’t help it. 

But there’s no going back once she brings out Steve. 

Nadia’s shocked gasp besides you brings forth your own despair. Cecile’s eyes lit up with a crazy light when she begins talking about how _impressive_ it was for the Matches to form attachments. You can hear it in her voice—she finds it amusing the way it’s all real to them, the way they feel. 

_She’s so far gone_ , you think, horrified. 

In the end, things almost go sideways, but soon the plane lifts off and you’re cradling your heartbroken cousin as you both leave everything you knew behind. It still hurts, even though you know it’s only temporary. 

In between the lazy smirks Damien sends you, the sad smiles from Hayden, and Sloane’s deep blushes, you know you’re going to fall soon. You can’t explain how you know, you just do. They’re here for you, and Cecile...well, she just isn’t an option. 

You stifle the sense of loss you feel at that, and shake your head. For a second there, with Cecile, you _wanted_. Desire is sharp and quick and you recognize it coursing through you when you think of running your fingers through her red-brown hair or her lips quirked into _that_ smirk. 

But it doesn’t matter anymore, anyway. Cecile Contreras is quite literally the face of the enemy and you push her to the back of your mind. 

No time for distractions now. Defeating Eros comes first. 

~~o.O~~

After that, you do it to deceive. 

You’re on survival mode now. Rowan West thinks he can lock you and your friends up and leave you all there to rot, and you’ll be damned before you let that madman be the death of you. But first, you need to get those keys. 

Flirting has never been easier. You’ve heard of the phrase “flirting with danger”, but until Cecile you’ve never really understood how literal it could be. 

“ _Cecile, please...Don’t you feel something between us?”_

_“Really? You’d say that….after all this?”_

You’d say _anything_ to get her to come just a little closer so you can grab those keys on her hip but she doesn’t need to know that.

“ _I can’t deny...the thought has crossed my mind. After all, I’m only human.”_

And at this, you pause. Because here is Cecile, blatantly admitting that she feels... _it_ , this tension between you two, but too little, too late, she’s already hurt everyone you love. 

You still feel regret, though. There’s always the regret. In that moment, you think of what could’ve been, of what never will be, and it’s hard to deny the sadness that roars within you. 

Though that still doesn’t stop you from stealing those keys. 

Cecile composes herself and leaves, and after that, it’s an endless string of events to rescue your friends from this godforsaken place.

You don’t have the time to think of anything else, least of all evil women with devilish smirks. 

~~o.O~~

After that, the flirting takes on a mocking tone.

There’s a vicious undercurrent to it, an anger because of everything she’s done. You had offered her an out on the helicopter pad when escaping Eros, but surprise, surprise, she had refused. And after seeing that video of her hurting Damien? Yeah, you’re going to take this bitch _down_. 

You’re in Tokyo now, saving Damien from another one of their evil lairs. You’ve all stopped with sick fascination to watch those videos with Cecile in them. 

With Mikail, you think it’s going to be the first time you see Cecile truly relax. But things go wrong too quickly and he’s dragged away while Cecile remains cold and impassive as ever. You didn’t know why, but you thought...well you thought she would’ve been different. 

Her interview video is somehow even worse. 

“ _Why play God if not to control the world?_ ”

You don’t think you’ve ever met anyone this... _twisted_. Cecile and Rowan go on and on talking about their vision for the Matches, and it’s disgusting to see how quickly they justify the use of them in order to gain control. 

After the videos, you all make quick work to save Damien, but you lose Dames in the process. You’ve never felt more enraged in your _l_ _ife_ when you see the way Cecile casually controls and orders him to bring you in. Dames fights it, of course he does, and like the hero he is, he sacrifices himself. You leave the facility heart broken once again, grief and despair raging inside you the way the sea rages against the cliffs. 

Somehow, after losing Dames, things become even more...real. You’re playing a game, a dangerous one, and you could lose people you care about in the process. 

When you meet Khaan, one of the first things you tell him is that Cecile Contreras is worse than Rowan West. You wonder, to yourself, how you can say these things when not even an hour ago you told her she looked nice tonight. 

“ _It’d be easier to say I’m flattered if you and your friends didn’t injure half of my guards in Tokyo.”_

_“And I’d actually mean my compliments if you stopped being such a—”_

_“Watch your mouth.”_

That warning comes from Harley and you seethe quietly. You don’t appreciate being threatened, especially by Hayden’s evil lookalike. You would’ve finished your insult and spit in Cecile’s face to boot if you hadn’t been interrupted, and that’s the thing, isn’t it? You don’t actually mean what you say to her, but you just can’t seem to help yourself. Riling her up is just too enticing. 

Maybe that’s why you do it. Cecile has so many walls put up, she is so distant and inscrutable, that this is your only way to get a rise out of her. The fact that it works just encourages you to do it more. 

You’re going to take her down eventually. Why not have a little fun first?

~~o.O~~

“ _Evil has never looked so good._ ”

And it _really_ hasn’t. Cecile walks into the president’s gala flanked by two guards in _that_ black dress. _Fuck_ , she looks _amazing._ She’s hot, and you say so. It’s not enough to distract you, though. Not anymore. 

“ _But we should definitely keep an eye on her.”_

Hayden agrees and the night continues on the way you planned until Harley tries shooting the president. The gala immediately becomes chaotic but you see Cecile getting away and right now, the most important thing is _not letting her out of your sight._

But then you’re on the roof and it’s a flurry of insanity and the next thing you know, Keegan is choking the life out of Cecile. Damien is trying to talk Keegan down, but you don’t know if it’ll even work and in all honesty, there’s a tiny part of you that’s rooting for Cecile’s pain. You can’t get Hayden’s screams out of your head ever since what Cecile did in San Francisco, and you know she has to pay.

Keegan lets Cecile go anyways. As Alana shows up with her Interpol agents, you know you need to have the last word—something harsh and annoying that will rub your victory in her face. 

“ _I only have one thing left to say to you...Wanna make out? I mean, you in that black dress?_ Damn."

You can’t help but be mocking in your next words at her scoff. “ _You don’t feel it Cecile? This heat between us?_ ” 

“ _Any attraction I once felt is dead and buried now.”_

You can’t lie—that bruises your ego a little. But it’s more amusing than it is offending and you can’t help but taunt her some more. “ _Maybe I’ll come visit you in prison. Blow you kisses from across the glass. Let you know what you’re missing.”_

Your lips curl in satisfaction as you see the authorities take Cecile away. You’re in love with someone else now, for sure, but…

_We could’ve been so much, Cecile,_ you think forlornly, _if only you’d wanted it._

~~o.O~~

You make good on your promise to visit Cecile in jail. 

When she sees your face, hers immediately twists in anger and she places the phone back in its cradle. You smile, unfazed. 

You pick up the phone on your side, knowing that, inevitably, she won’t be able to resist and will pick up on her end again. Not even a minute passes before she does. 

“Orange does _not_ suit you, Cecile,” you say in lieu of a greeting. 

“Park,” she says, gritting her teeth and nodding only once. “What do you want?”

You raise an eyebrow. “Park? Okay then, _Contreras_ ,” you smirk and lean forward a little, “I said I’d come by, didn’t I? Well, I’m here.”

She jabs her finger in the glass in front of her. “ _You_. You are the reason I am stuck in this miserable, rotting, _hellhole_!” 

You tilt your head and tap your fingers against the counter. “Don’t blame me for your mistakes. Everything that happened was because of your faults, and yours alone.” You lean back in your chair and smirk at her again. “So, Cecile, how has life behind bars been?”

She stares at you for a moment but suddenly, as if a switch has been flipped, smiles cruelly. Ignoring your question completely, she asks, “Tell me, how is everyone? Damien’s okay? Are Khaan and Hamza settling in nicely? Moving to New York can be such—”

“Stop,” you snap, feeling a flare of anger rise within you. “We were a lot of things to each other, Cecile, but we were not friends. What’s your deal?”

Her fingers tighten on the phone. “My _deal?_ My _deal_ is that I’m not going to give you an inch of happiness by telling you whether or not I’m suffering. I can see it in your eyes, you know,” she hisses, eyes narrowing and leaning closer towards the glass. “You want to see me in pain; you _like_ seeing me in pain. I can’t even blame you, because I would’ve done the same thing. You can try covering it up all you want, but you’re just like me. You always have been.” She leans back, a smug tilt to her chin. 

You pause for a moment to take her in. Prison has not been kind to Cecile. There is a hunch to her shoulders that didn’t exist before and surprisingly, the hair at the root of her temples is beginning to turn gray. Her face is haggard and her hands are shaking just the tiniest bit. This is Cecile Contreras at her worst: vulnerable, wearied, an empty shell of the woman she once was.

You almost feel sorry for her.

Key word: almost.

“It’s funny,” you begin, never once taking your eyes off her face, “You really do believe that, don’t you? And yet, you’re the one behind bars, not me.”

You get to your feet, and there’s a brief flash of panic in her eyes. Of course. If you left, who would be left for her to be miserable to?

“Let’s face it.” You shove your hands in your pockets and give her an empty smile. “You’re finally realizing that for the first time in a while, you’re not the one in charge. No robots or people to control. You’re not gonna get to do whatever you want. Instead, you’re going to be _given_ the orders and there’s not a single thing you can do about it.” 

You shrug, the perfect picture of indifference. “And the truth is, you deserve it. You can cry and scream about it all you want, but you’re a terrible person. I’m glad karma got you. You’re never going to hurt anyone I love, ever again.”

Once upon a time you might have been scared of the rage that pools in her eyes. But now you look at her and add another word to that list, something else to describe Cecile: _pathetic_. 

“You’re going to regret this.” 

At this, you give a genuine laugh. “I really don’t think I will, Cecile.” You place the phone back in its receiver and you blow her a kiss. Never let it be said that your word can’t be trusted. “Goodbye, bitch.” 

She may not have heard you, but she definitely saw and understood your parting words. Good. She deserved them.

As you walk away, you think letting go has never been so easy, so free. You make your way towards your happiness, and leave your heartaches behind.

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive criticism is appreciated ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


End file.
